On Wednesday, Nov. 12, in the Ogle Center Recital Hall, Ohio Valley Creative Energy held a presentation that launched their $3.5 million capital campaign to build an up-cycling art facility on the Clark-Floyd Landfill.
The facility will have studios for clay, metal and glass. It will also include a sculpture studio, greenhouse and a gallery to display art created at the facility.
Lori Beck, founder and project director of OVCE, led the presentation. She spoke about the methane gas powering plan for the soon to be built facility.
“Methane is produced naturally at a landfill. We will literally put a pipe up to it and become an end-user,” Beck said. “The methane gas pipe system will power everything we need to make art.”
Members of the IU Southeast faculty are in favor of the facility as well.
“From what I understand, when garbage rots, it produces methane which is usually burned off, but in this case they would be using to power the facility,” Jeff Gillenwater, coordinator of the design center, said. “I think there is a very positive response to this project from the faculty members in the arts and letters department.”
Donna Stallard, fine art instructor, also believes this project is for the better.
“This is perfect timing for this project to have been proposed,” Stallard said. “It is a great way to go green.”
“If this plan comes to IUS, students can go just down the road to use the facility to take classes that we do not offer,” Stallard said. “The plan is for us [IU Southeast] to form a partnership with OVCE.”
Stallard said it was the logical choice to pick IU Southeast to be involved in this project.
“We are right down the road form the landfill and this is an excellent opportunity for everyone involved,” she said.
“The beauty of it is, there is no money coming for IUS. The school of Arts and Letters and the Natural Sciences cannot give money,” Stallard said. “There needs to be an external source that has a link to IUS.”
All of the fine details have not been figured out. The relationship between IU Southeast and OVCE is still under question.
What this means for students is also up in the air.
“It depends on the relationship between us and IUS to determine how IUS students will interact with the facility,” Beck said. “Mainly, they will be able to take classes at the facility as part of their curriculum. If it goes a different way, the students will still be able to use the facility as a means for tutoring, exhibitions and be able to use it as a resource to learn about sustainability.”
On the OVCE website [http://www.ohiovalleycreativenergy.org/capitalcampaign.php] IU Southeast is already listed as a partner.
“We are looking to partner with IUS to help,” Beck said.
“Now that our capital campaign has begun, that will determine how long it will be until the project begins,” Beck said. “Our goal is to raise at least $1.5 million over the next 12 months.”
The project has already received a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand the landfill gas collection system. Excluding this grant, OVCE has gained $207,000 from other organizations as well. One organization is Hoosier Energy & Clark County REMC, which gave $30,000.
“Our goals for the use of this money [$3.5 million] are for land acquisition, architectural design development, construction and landscaping, studio equipment and to ensure there is enough for a two year running plan,” Beck said during the presentation. “We do not want to be another non-profit organization that gets everything open and going but then cannot maintain to stay open. That’s why we have included the amount it will take for a two year running plan.”
There was a design contest for architect students to design a concept and layout for the facility. During the presentation, Beck showed the two designs they chose.
One of the designs was done by Vanessa Bauman. Her design mainly focused on the concept of using reclaimed concrete for the main foundation of the buildings.
“When concrete is poured, what is left over and not used gets thrown away,” Doug Pierson, principal studio architect, said.
The final architectural designs were presented as well.
Kim Van Stockum, Meyzeek Middle School art teacher and OVCE board of directors member, spoke at the presentation.
“This is an educational opportunity not only for artists and college students, but for kindergarten through 12th grade as well,” Stockum said. “This project will help promote up-cycling and environmentally inspired art.”
In the Ronald L. Barr Gallery from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. there was a silent auction of all the art on display which had been created by OVCE members. This fundraiser will also go towards the art facility project.
By KRISTINE BLEUEL
Staff Writer
kcbleuel@ius.edu
